[citation needed] Clashes between the Kui Samaj which protested the tribal status to the Christians together with groups led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swayamswvak Sangh, Bajrang Dal and the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram against the Christians erupted after these incidents, where more than 100 churches and church institutions, 700 houses were burnt down, vandalized or damaged.
[9] Despite the Kui Samaj's call for the Statewide bandh, the police opened the local market on December 24 at about 7 a.m. in Brahmanigaon after recommendation by some Christian groups for their Christmas preparations.
About two hours late a large group allegedly led by a local RSS leader, Bikram Rout, arrived in the market and attempted to forcefully shut it down but the police kept it open.
[9] On 24 December, at about 10:45 am, Lakshmanananda Saraswati, while travelling to the town of Brahmanigaon for a yagna ritual in his car was forced to stop after a bus broke down in front of his vehicle.
The RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a 4-hour bandh on the Christmas Day following the incident.
That same day, Hindutva activists organized a ritual to convert Pastor Digal from the Kutikia gram panchayat along with 12 members of the Christian community.
[15] Violent clashes occurred from 24 to 27 December 2007 between people led by the Sangh Parivar groups, the Sangh-affiliated Kui Samaj and the Christians.
[2] Around 10 a.m. on 24 December, a mob of around 500 people led again by the RSS leader, Bikram Rout ransacked the pandal and set it on fire in front of the onlooking police.
[11] While other reports suggest more than 3000 people belonging to Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS, Bajrang Dal and the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram started to vandalize Christian symbols and two young boys suffered gun injuries.
[16] On 26 December, clashes continued all over the district, multiple houses were attacked and many were left injured, a police station in Phiringia was set on fire.
Police was found it difficult to reach the violence hit areas in the villages as protesters obstructed roads by blocking it with trees.
He also visited Godapur and Brahmanigaon villages to take a look of the situation, and suspected that these houses were burnt sown by sections of "Hinditva Activists" who may have been incited by the Maoists.
[24][25] Many members of the Hindu community have claimed that Christian show of religiosity, and the financial privilege that enabled such an exhibition, contributed to the rioting.